1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in an adjustable pitch drum and more particularly to a device with two drum heads having tension means to vary the drum pitch of one or both of the drum heads during its operation. The device is supported on a specially adapted drum stand which allows the operator to play both drum heads at the same time. The tension means comprises a novel floating suspension ring attached to a plurarity of tension straps which are used to increase the drum's skin tension. The operator may constrict the tension straps by use of a mechanical constricting device provided with the specially adapted drum stand or manually by use of the operator's arm.
The novel floating suspension ring allows the drum operator to easily and quickly remove a damaged drum head should the drum head become defective during its operation, without the necessity of removing any of the drum tension straps.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Conventional prior art drums utilizing a hollow drum shell having drum heads held in place by head rims which allows only limited adjustment of the drum tone or pitch.
Complicated mechanical devices with many disadvantages associated therewith have been constructed which allow the drum heads to be individually tensioned. One such device is U.S. Pat. No. 2,074,193 issued to C. H. Strupe which shows the use of a very complicated mechanical means for tensing the drum's head. The disadvantage associated with said device is for example, that there is no way of quickly and easily changing the drum skin should it be necessary during a performance. Also, this prior art device does not allow the use of different size drum heads nor can it be played as an African Talking Drum, tom-tom or a bongo drum in an ambulatory manner. In accordance with the present invention it has been found that it is quite desirable to provide for a change of tone or pitch by providing a dual drum head construction which can be played in a fixed or ambulatory manner having a simplified method of adjusting the drum tone or pitch.
One such simplified prior art device is U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,013 issued to William Gussak which shows the use of a tom-tom or a bongo drum style construction utilizing tension cords. The tension cords of this prior art device extends between the drum heads over loops located on the drum heads retainer loop. This prior art device is capable of being played by the use of a special gripping means which facilitate the holding of the drum during its use as either a tom-tom or a bongo drum. However, said prior art device has certain disadvantages associated therewith being that the tension cords used to vary the drum tone or pitch must be completely removed before the drum head skin can be replaced. Further, the object of said prior art device is to provide an improved drum construction having a special gripping means for holding the drum between the player's knees or under one arm, where as, the object of the present invention is to provide an improved drum construction utilizing two different size drum heads, with means for varing the drum heads pitch and tone; said means allowing an easy and quick removal of a defective drum head, without the necessity of removing any of the tension cords. Unlike the Gussak device my invention can be played in either a stationary or ambulatory manner.